Well, the music thing has been getting cut for YEARS longer than NCLB. Same as Art, drama and other classes like that. In fact, it was happening back when I was in school in the 80's.

The controversy of course was, "Why not the sports program instead?" Now, they have NCLB to blame it on.

Here's what I've been told and what I've learned. Education is like anything else, it goes in cycles. This is the new thing right now. In another 10 years, we'll be back to something else. The more experienced teachers aren't holding their breaths because they know it'll come back around. Just so long as we don't go back to Outcomes Based Education, everything will be great!

(OBE, in case you were wondering, is what I think is one of a few major cause of failure in the education system. Some bleeding hearts got together about 15 - 20 years ago and said we were "hurting" young people's psyche because they, the students, were failing and feeling like the couldn't succeed.

So they decided that we have to give assignments and tests, however, if the students failed, we give them as many opportunities as it takes to get it right. Even if it takes all year! Again, students being sucessful and feeling good about themselves is another "good theory" but what happened was the students took advantage of this and several ended up NEVER passing. Here's where it got fun. We weren't allowed to give them a failing grade. Thus, the grades were actually dropped!

So, we had a whole lot of students exiting school and going into the real working world expecting their employers and colleges to give them as many "chances" as they need to succeed. Guess what? It doesn't work that way!

Anyway, I like NCLB much better than OBE, but I bet we see it come around sometime later...)

__________________

Pressing onNever argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~ Anonymous

Re-instated the signing of all military retiree's official documents. Which Clinton stopped doing after hearing rumours that (soon to be) retirees were throwing their doc's in the trash (mine hands proudly on my 'ME' wall but then again mine was signed by GW). Highest servicemens salary pay raises in over 4 years (after eight friggin Clinton years of 3.0 raises).

BTW Kerry didn't just slam current military servicemembers (<-- my attempt at being PC) but he slammed past and future members as well, including his own prececoius swift boat buddies. In esscent what he said was.. If your stoopid your cannon fodder and get sent off to war, what was surprising was that a racist remark wasn't included in his offhanded remark.. DOH! SO what happened to him? He runs away and hides for 48 hours and his writer apologizes for omitting a punchline. On another point. He never actually apologized for anything. I'm sorry you didn't get my joke...? uuuuh Mr. Kerry, YOU forgot to include the punchline so how could ANYONE get the joke? Why doesn't he care? Why should he when people could give a rats-hind end about a servicemembers life unless it's on some friggin tally/poll on CNN or it serves some politicians hidden agenda. You who BELIEVE he did nothing wrong or believe he honestly apologized are the ones I truly 'feel' for cuz Kerry could care less about you.

Done ranting. I voted Rep (not hardline) and will continue just like 85 or so percent of all servicemembers and retirees.

The kids LOVE the chute! I have to climb up in the tree every other week or so to untangle it because of the dang wind, but it works great! I used it as a large covering for a picnic a few weeks ago as well...a very LARGE covering, LOL! We kept having to find more poles to prop it up! We tried doubling it, but the silk or whatever it's made of is so slippery.....

__________________

Pressing onNever argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~ Anonymous